Forests cover up to 50 percent of the land in the country. To celebrate IDF 2019, academics hosted talks on their importance to raise awareness of them as global and economic resources. Scientists and educators from the Czech Republic, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina attended.

A screening of a documentary on sustainable forests was presented followed by a panel discussion on actions being taken by Colombia's Environment Ministry to stem deforestation and promote legal timber trade.

France: School trips to forest areas to engage youth

Teachers took nursery groups on field visits to learn about local flora and fauna. The goal of the excursions was to introduce very young children to forests, their ecosystems and the fundamental role they play in the prosperity and well-being of people of all ages.

FAO and Gabon's Ministry of Forests marked IDF 2019 under the theme "Forests and education”. Participants took part in tree plantation projects, debates and school excursions to discuss measures to sustainably mange forests in less-developed countries.

Communities set up educational and adventure trails in their forests for families, school classes and nature enthusiasts. Public educational institutions built informational stands designed to teach visitors about the different functions of forests.

Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry and Environment hosted numerous events for hundreds of people at their offices on 21 March. Guests were invited to view a photography exhibition, while children participated in a drawing competition and gave speeches highlighting the importance of forests.

Italy: Activities on learning to love forests

A seminar and library exhibition in Trento highlighted the importance of educating all generations on the sustainable management of forests and their conservation. Healthy forests make for resilient communities and prosperous economies. Extreme weather events and their potentially devastating impacts on forests were on the agenda.

Italy: the Crazy Roots lesson

Students from Rome’s primary school, Principe di Piemonte, celebrated IDF with a lesson and a practical activity on the importance of forests, led by an FAO forestry professional. The children planted shrubs and a tree in an eroded steep terrain to learn about the role of plants in preventing soil erosion, an activity which the kids called ‘The Crazy Roots’.

The Giacomo Leopardi primary school in Rome organised school excursions from 21 March to 5 April to mark IDF 2019. Children were invited to a series of workshops to learn to appreciate green spaces, with activities including theatre sessions, book and poetry readings.

Italy: Training workshop on forests and forestry

To celebrate IDF 2019, university students in Ancona attended talks conducted by a number of forestry experts ranging from scientists, UN representatives and the head of the local botanical gardens. Discussions were followed by question and answer sessions.

Jordan: Environmental organization marks IDF 2019

Two weeks of activities hosted by the University of Jadra to promote the importance of their world's forests, with an emphasis on science and education. Partners from educational institutions and environment groups planted coniferous forest trees on the campus grounds as a symbol of the need to stop deforestation.

Lebanon: Schoolchildren and teachers discuss the vital role of forests

Children engaged in lessons to discuss the threats faced by forests around the world and the need to preserve their biodiversity for future generations. Groups presented their own displays as part of a conversation on how to protect, restore and sustainably manage forests.

Madagascar: Celebrations held across island nation

On an island famed for its wildlife, twenty-two local and several national events were carried out to introduce attendees to the unique natural resources and environment and the need to safeguard rich resources in parks and other nature reserves.

Mexico: Planting trees to protect the planet

Campaign to grow dozens of trees in schools and parks began in February with a focus on preserving local biodiversity. Some of the most typical trees found in Mexico such as oak, ebony, pine, mesquite and “white stick” evergreen plantations were planted. Environmental campaign launched across the region of Monterrey in the northeast of the country.

FAO's Representative in Mozambique, the National Director of Forests, environmentalists, teachers, primary, and secondary school students attended an event to mark IDF 2019. Children presented poems with educational messages calling for the conservation of forests and expansion of growing greener city projects.

Nigeria: Public awareness programme held

Nigeria's Organization for Positive Sustainability Culture organized tree planting activities at secondary schools in southern Cross River State, a radio talk show on forests and education with an audience of over five million. Videos and news messages were distributed on social media channels – all with the goal of getting people to take action to protect trees.

Nigeria: International Day of Forests Symposium

IDF 2019 celebrated to highlight urban forests and to teach young people about sustainable forest management. The school directors pledged to set up a “young foresters club” to continue to educate students on issues such as trees, forests and sustainable development.

Paraguay: IDF 2019 launch at University of Asunción

A week-long events programme was carried out to urge individuals to invest in forest preservation and conservation through seminars detailing how to preserve, restore and manage the country's tropical forests.

Pakistan: Forests and the 2030 Agenda

Secondary school in Sindh Province of Pakistan marked the day by giving presentations about the role of forests in keeping the planet's air, soil, water and people healthy.

A Lima-based radio network organised a number of broadcasts calling on listeners to take action to safeguard the environment, and to teach them about the risks of deforestation for people and the planet on the occasion of IDF 2019.

Schoolchildren joined environmental specialists this March to learn about the benefits of trees. Activities included a trip to a park where kids were told about the importance of preserving healthy green spaces and protecting them from potential threats such as diseases and pests.

Event held at an arts school to display scientific reports, an exhibition, live performances and educational activities centred on the forest heritage site located in the Middle Volga UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Slovakia: Nation-wide events on IDF 2019

Forestry institute targets adolescents, hosting fifteen events to teach young people about responsible environmental management in a country which boasts a wealth of natural parks and nature reserves which are home to all sorts of different tree species, flora and fauna.<br/>

Slovenia: EU forests pedagogic congress

To mark IDF 2019, members of the Slovenian Forestry Institute contributed to a series of workshops to build a greater understanding on the sustainable use of all types of forests. Debates focused on how maintaining clean air, soil and water is one of today's biggest challenges.

Teacher and parents association in Galicia, Spain, launched an “eco-competition” to coincide with IDF 2019 with a view to teaching schoolchildren environmental awareness and the importance of protecting our fragile planet.

Spain: Children plant trees to mark IDF 2019

Schoolchildren planted native trees in the City of Santiago de Compostela on the occasion of IDF 2019 with the goal of establishing environmentally-friendly attitudes while raising awareness of the part played by green spaces in cities.

FAO Forestry partners and key stakeholders attended a high level discussion event in Geneva on the importance of forests around the world. The day featured a prize giving session for schoolchildren who had participated in a drawing competition.

Turkey: Reading to raise awareness on IDF

Creative reading workshop held to spark action to protect the environment. A children's book by the novelist and professor Umberto Eco was read to an audience of adults and children.

Uganda: Secondary schools hold forestry quiz

Six schools in eastern Uganda took part in a competition entitled #IDF Challenge to put their knowledge of forests and their natural resources, conservation methods and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to the test.

Video produced and broadcast to keep up the momentum of managing the country's forests in a sustainable manner – by maintaining a balance between ecological, economic and socio-cultural development practices.

The University of Sussex held a lecture to highlight the importance of forests and their future survival. Topics touched on were how forests enhance our wellbeing and how to conserve their biodiversity and natural resources. Expert panellists attended to discuss forest sustainability.

The non-profit group TreePeople organised excursions to a park in Los Angeles to inspire, engage and support people to take personal responsibility for the urban environment making it safe, healthy, fun, and sustainable for future generations.